The development of Subaru’s two-person electric vehicle has taken another step at the start of the New York International Auto Show this weekend. Subaru representatives have announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will test two prototypes of the company’s R1e. This transaction may lead to a large order of the vehicles by state agencies in New York and other states in the Northeast.
The reason that the NYPA is anxious to test out the R1e is the presumed longevity of Subaru’s electric batteries. The automaker works with Fuji Heavy Industries and NEC Corporation to develop electric engines that will hit the market in the next two years. The main attraction of the Subaru battery is that an 80% recharge takes place in as little as eight minutes.
Subaru has bypassed niche automakers like Tesla Motors by creating a fast-charging lithium-ion battery. NYPA and other suitors for Subaru’s R1e are excited that partial charges are available with the new style of battery. The first few generations of electric battery would diminish in longevity if drivers did not finish charging before hitting the streets. Subaru has bypassed this problem with the new prototype of the R1e.
The performance statistics on the Subaru R1e show a growth toward gas-fueled performance without the emissions and expense. The R1e is reported to achieve a speed up to 65 miles per hour that is competitive with Tesla Motor’s best efforts. Tesla Motors still has the edge in charge longevity because Subaru’s battery only allows travel up to 50 miles per charge. This last distinction may not matter for NYPA if the R1e is used for community patrols, local transport and other short-range tasks.
A prediction about the success of the Subaru R1e is difficult to make at this early stage. The fact that a major car company is promoting a commercially viable electric vehicle to a state government after the California EV1 debacle shows confidence in the product. It seems likely that New York’s state government will continue to kick the tires on other EV models in the future as other automakers get into the act.
